This invention relates to a protecting device for protecting electronic equipment in order to use the electronic equipment hostile environment.
It is to be noted throughout the instant specification that a radio communication apparatus will be mainly described as an example of the electronic equipment hereinunder although this invention is not restricted to the radio communication apparatus.
The radio communication apparatus comprises a radio communication device and an antenna device which is connected to the radio communication device. The radio communication device may be connected to the antenna device through a transmission path which has a propagation loss. The transmission path may be, for example, a cable. In order to decrease the propagation loss, it is necessary to shorten the length of the transmission path. In order to shorten the length of the transmission path, it is desirable that the radio communication device is located near the antenna device. This means to locate the radio communication device outside a house.
When the radio communication device is located outside the house, the radio communication device is subjected to a hostile environment, for example, rain, snow, dust, salt damage, high temperature, and low temperature. As a result, it is necessary to make the radio communication device be weatherproof. In order to make the radio communication device be weatherproof, a protecting device is generally used which is for protecting the radio communication device under the hostile environment. More particularly, the protecting device is for use in protecting the radio communication device under the high temperature and the low temperature.
A first conventional protecting device comprises a shelter having a radome. The radio communication apparatus is located in the shelter. An air conditioner may be located in the shelter in order to keep a room temperature within the shelter at a predetermined temperature.
A second conventional protecting device comprises a heater attached on the radio communication device. When the atmospheric temperature becomes a low temperature, the radio communication device is heated by the heater so that the radio communication device is kept at a predetermined temperature range.
A third conventional protecting device comprises a heat insulator for covering the radio communication device in order to protect the radio communication device under a low atmospheric temperature. The radio communication device may have cooling fins for radiating the heat generated in the radio communication device.
However, the first conventional protecting device becomes a very high cost inasmuch as the first conventional protecting device comprises the shelter. Furthermore, consumption increases in electric power on using the first conventional protecting device because the air conditioner controls the room temperature within the shelter to the predetermined temperature.
The radio communication device having the second conventional protecting device is directly affected by the atmosphere around the radio communication device. For example, the radio communication device is directly affected by the wind. As a result, radiation of heat increases at the radio communication device as the wind becomes fresh. Consumption increases in electric power on using the second conventional protecting device under a strong wind.
It is to be noted that it is unnecessary to use the third conventional protecting device except for a hard winter season inasmuch as the third conventional protecting device comprises the heat insulator for covering the radio communication device. Namely, it is necessary to detach the heat insulator from the radio communication device except for the hard winter season.